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One Common Enemy

2 minute read

God must have really had it out for me when he gave me the family that he did. They are beyond dysfunctional. I don’t get along with my sisters, we’re all indifferent to each other. My relationship with my parents is not that great; we have more off moments than on. Family secrets are tearing us apart and everyone is basically in denial about who they really are. -Reader

Since the beginning of time man kind has been fighting against each other. There is a force that seeks to divide us in our families, our friendships, our marriages, and every other relationship that exists. What we fail to realize is that our fellow brother/sister is not the problem. We have one common enemy, and that is the devil.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” says Ephesians 6:12. Our inability to get along with the next man/woman goes far deeper than we can imagine or may know. Often times, it’s spiritual. When we’re arguing with someone we tend to say things that are deliberately hurtful and cruel, completely opposite from the fruit of the spirit of God. Rather than love, there’s anger and hate. Rather than peace, there is strife. Rather than joy, there is sadness. Rather than being longsuffering, we become short tempered.

In the Bible, the disciple Peter was reprimanded by Jesus when he made a statement that was against the plans of God. Jesus was able to recognize the spirit influencing Peter’s remark, and instead of rebuking Peter, he rebuked the spirit in him by saying “Get thee behind me satan.” Jesus knew the real Peter would never not want God’s will to be carried out. It’s important that we are mindful that the enemy will play on our emotions when we’re fed up so we can attack. If you are the one being attacked, distinguish the spirit, from the person.

The devil comes to steal kill and destroy. He wants to steal out peace and joy when we argue, destroy our relationships with choice words we decide to use against our loved ones, which will ultimately kill our relationships. The word of God says that if “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him what he did without other people hearing it. If he listens to you, you have won your brother back again (Matthew 18:15).”

As challenging as it can be at times, don’t give the enemy leeway into your words or actions. Leave no open door for him sneak in and nothing for him to work with. Be still in your moments of frustration and see it for what it is. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).